Collapsible support for ironing tables



Sept. 25, 1951 B. RICH E'ITAL 2,569,427

COLLAPSIBLE SUPPORT FOR IRONING TABLES Filed Feb. 2, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 HOWARD 5. /?/CH ANDREW GRN IN V EN TORS,

BY W9 Sept; 25, 1951 H. B. RICH ET AL 2,569,427

COLLAPSIBLE SUPPORT FOR momma TABLES Filed Feb. 2, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 39 &5 A3

O O 1 a c 113 HOWARD B. RICH o o o k ANDREW GREEN 3 L| 0 0 o OMJM/H INVENTORS. 0 0 O O O O O o o o o o o\ oj) /ZS. /2 flz, zfq

Patented Sept. 25, 1951 COLLAPSIBLE SUPPORT FOR IRONING TABLES Howard B. Rich, Carrollton, and Andrew Green, Worthville, Ky assignors to Howard B. Rich, Inc., a corporation of Kentucky Application February 2, 1949, Serial No. 74,196

2 Claims. (Cl. 3811'7) This invention relates to a collapsible ironin table, and more particularly to the supporting framework or chassis of an ironin table or board, or the like.

An object of this invention is to provide a firm and strong collapsible supporting structure or chassis for an ironing table.

A further object of this invention is to provide a framework for an ironing table in which all supports fold against the' underside of the table or board when the chassis is collapsed.

A further object of this invention is to provide a framework for an ironing table in which all parts of the chassis are held firmly in a stable position when the table chassis is actuated to board supporting position.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved arrangement of tension members whereby the legs of the board chassis will give firm and rigid support to the board when in ironing position.

The above and other objects and features of the invention will in part be apparent and will in part be obvious from the followingdetailed description and the drawings, in which":

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing an ironing table or board having a supporting structure or chassis constructed in accordance with an embodiment of this invention, the chassis being shown in upright or ironing position.

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the table shown in Fig. 1, with the chassis in collapsed or storage position.

Fig. 3 is a view in section, takenalong a line IIIIII'in Fig. 2, showing one of the tension members.

Fig. 4 is a view in section, taken alon a line IV-IV in Fig. 2.

In the following detailed description and the drawings, like reference characters indicate like parts.

As shown in Fig. 1, the ironing table includes a board It], here shown as a metal sheet having a stifiening flange extending around the periphery of and forming a border for the board. Strengthening frame members |2 extending lengthwise of the board l are fixed to the underside of the board as by riveting. The board is further strengthened and rigidified by cross members l3, which are secured to members I2 and the board by suitable means such as rivets. The ends of the cross members may be secured to the border flange by screws |3' or the equivalent. The board I ll being of metal may be perforated as shown in customary manner.

The board chassis includes a pair of legs l4 and a leg l5 at the rear and front ends of the board, respectively. The upper ends of the rear legs are pivotally secured to a cross-brace Hi, the ends of which are flanged to accommodate members |2 (Fig. 1).

the pivot pins of the legs. The rear legs are braced by a pair of diagonal braces I1 and 8. Theends of these braces are so shaped that they areinterchangeable and can be used on either right or fleft side of the board chassis. The upper ends of these diagonal braces l1 and I8 are secured to the pivot pins I9 which secure the legs to flanges on cross brace I6 and the lower ends thereof are secured to struts 20 and 2|, respectively. Struts 20 and 2| are secured to the respective legs M at the rear of the chassis. An oval ring 22 embraces diagonal braces l1 and I8 at the point where they cross each other and tends to rigidify these braces.

The front leg I5 includes a pair of members 23 joined at their lower or free ends to form a crutch-like structure. The upper ends of leg members 2| are pivotally attached to a bracket 22 secured to the longitudinal frame members |2.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the front and rear legs |5.and M are foldable between an extended or operative position shown in Fig. 1 where the legs can support the board In and a folded or collapsed position in which the legs rest against the bottom of the board so that the table can conveniently be stored (Fig. 2).

.The compression braces or struts 2| and 2| are pivoted to rear legs I4, an end of each strut being pivoted to one of the legs H5 at a point between the ends of the leg. Opposite ends of struts 20 and 2| are joined to the board by toggle links 24. A handle 25 is mounted between and secured to toggle links 24 and may be used to operate the toggle linkage. I When the table is in upright or operative position; upper ends 26 of struts 20 and 2| bear on the'lengthwise frame To collapse the board structure, handle 25 is pulled outwardly from the bottom of the board until the toggle linkage (Fig. 2) is moved past dead center, at which time the legs and struts are released and can be folded. As shown in Fig. 1, upper ends of rear legs l4 and cross-braces I! and 8 are pivoted to bracket IS. The lower end of each of the cross braces I1 and I8 is pivoted to one of the braces as indicated at 21; thus when the board chassis is moved to the position shown in Fig. 1 the rear legsarespread, and when moved to collapsed position the cross braces Iland I8 cause the rear legs to contract or move towards each other.

The crutch-like front leg is braced by a pair of tension members 28 when the table or board is in raised position. Tension members 28 extend between rear legs I4 and the lower ends of members 23 of leg I5. .To further rigidity the board chassis and give firmness of support to the legs thereof when the board is in the position shown in Fig. 1, upper tension members 29 are provided. A tension member 29 is secured adjacent the upper end of each leg member 23.

The tension members extend through brackets 3| secured to member 12. These tension mem--. bers are disposed on the adjacent inner faces of leg members 23 and extend forwardly towards the toggle handle 25. Each tension member 29 is provided with an enlarged head32 to keep it from pulling through bracket-3l whenthe table is in the position shown in Fig. 1. Tension members 29 are bowed upwardly so that they will move through brackets 3l-freely and without binding when the table assembly is moved to or from collapsed position and to render them reresilient.

When the board is mounted in the; position shown in Fig. 1 and a load is put on it as when ironing is being done, members 23 of leg 15 are subjected to a bending ,load. The lengths of tension members. 29 are such, that. they are strained in tension, and this strain tends to bend the legs" in the opposite direction from which they would be bowed by the load. Therefore, the pull of tensionmembers 29 on, leg .members, 23 offsets the. bending strain .imposedbythe load on the ironing board, thereby relieving them of undue strain and also making the chassis, legs and board structure firm and rigid.

Details of the mounting of the tension members are shownin .Figs. 3 and .4. As shown in Fig. 3, each tension member. 29 is equipped at one end with an eye 34 that fits abouta pivot pin 35 fixed to one of the front leg members 23, while the other endof member 29 extends through an opening inbracket 3t. The bracket 31 is fixed to the underside of one of the frame members I 2.

The end of eachelongated tension :member 28 atthe point where secured to leg members 2|, is provided with an eye 36 through which a pivot pin 31 (Figs. 1 andz) extends. Pivot :pin 31 .is located near but spaced from the free end of the crutch-like frontleg) I The. opposite end of each tension member-28 extends through a clip 38 which, as shown in Fig. 4, is held between one of the rearlegs l4 and its associated strut. Eachof pivot pins 39 which .linklegs Hand the struts also extends through one of the clips 38 to support the clip. The. tip of each tension member has an enlarged head 4| (Fig. 2) and bears against the clip 38 when the framework is in table-supporting position. The tension members 28 hold and confine legs of the table to the position shown in Fig.1. 1 7

While the table top H) isshown as-being of metal, it will be appreciated that atop of wood of the usual size and shape can be substituted for the metal top, if desired, in which ease brackets. and 22, angles-33, and angles 42, which support a pivot for toggle links, can be attached directly to the board instead of being attached, as here shown, to frame members for the metal top H).

,The device described above and illustrated in the drawings is subject to variation Within the scope of the appended claims.

1 Having described our invention, what we claim as novel and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

.1. A collapsible ironing table which comprises a board having front and rear ends, a pair of rear legs pivoted to the underside of the board adjacent therear end thereof, a front leg pivoted to the. underside of the board at a point between the ends thereof, means for holding the rear legsin spaced relation to each other, a tension member extending between the front leg and the underside of the board at a point forward of the pivot forthe front leg, a pair of elongated tension members, each of said elongated tension members being secured to one of the rear legs at a point between the ends thereof and tothe front leg at a point near the foot thereof, a toggle linkage comprising struts and links secured to each other, the links being securedto the :board and the struts to said rear legs, the length of the links and struts in straight line position being greater than the distance between the points of attachment to said rear legs and board whereby a toggle joint is formed at the point where the struts and links are attached to, each other,,-said struts'and toggle links being swingableacross the break point of the toggle joint whereby when the legs are movedto upright position, the toggle links lie 'against the underside of the board and above thepbreak point and when collapsed the toggle links are free to swing away from the break point .to a collapsed position in which the strutsand legs are substantially parallel with the board, said front leg when upright being subjected to a bending load, the tension memberextending be tween the front leg and the boardacting to offset the bending load when the board is loaded. 2. A. collapsible, ironing table: which comprises a board having front andrear ends; a, pair of. legs pivoted to the underside of the board adjacent the rear end thereof, a. front leg pivoted -to.the underside of the board'at apoint betweenthe ends thereof, means for holding the-rear 'legsrin spaced relation to each other, a tension member extending between the front leg and the underside of the board at a poi-nt'nearer the front end thereof than the pivot of the front leg; a toggle linkage comprising struts and'lin'ks secured to each other,-the links being secured to the board and each strut being secured to one of therear legs, a pair of elongated tension members, one end of. each tension member being secured to the front leg at a point near the foot thereof, the other end of each tension member being linked to "one of the struts and to one of the rear legs at a'point spaced between the ends of said one of. the rear legs, the length of the links and struts in straight line position, being greater thanithe distance between the points of attachment to said rear legs and board, whereby a toggle joint is formed at the .point wherethe struts and links are connected to each other, said struts and toggle links being swingable across the. break. point/of the toggle joint, whereby when the legs are moved to upright position, the toggle links lie against the underside of the board andrabovethe break point, and when collapsed the toggle linksare free to swing away from thebreak point to acollapsed position-in which the struts and legs are substantially parallel with the board. T HOWARD B. RICH.

ANDREW GREEN.

REFERENCES: 0115151) The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

